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"If you really are happy and you two love each other equally, then great," said James "Good luck to you both
But if you don’t--if you wake up one day and realize you’re forcing yourself to love hi to do, not because he makes you happier than you’ve ever been--then I want to make sure you know you have a choice And if you ever want to leave, all you have to do is say the word, and I’ll go with you"
I stor hard "Great, so if I ever decide that Henry’s life isn’t worth it, I’ll be sure to let you know Help me with these, will you?"
James didn’t say a word as he joined me and opened the heavy doors as if they were made of feathers I slipped inside and forced a snif icent entrance hall made of mirrors and marble But the foyer was e
"Waiting for you, I suspect" James stepped in after h the hall
"You didn’t think ere going to stay here, did you?"
"I didn’t know there was anywhere else to stay" He draped his ared it off, he shoved his hands in his pockets instead
"Of course there’s someplace else Follow me" James led me to the center of the foyer, where a crystal circle shimmered with a rainbow of colors in the center of the white marble f loor When I tried to continue to the other side of the hall, he grabbed my hand and stoppeddown
I stared at the crystal beneathaura seemed to emanate from where we stood, and I jumped out of the circle "What is that?"
"Henry didn’t tell you?" said James, and I shook my head
"It’s a portal between the surface and the Underworld To-tally safe, I pro way around"
"The long way around?"
"If you knohere to look, you can f ind an opening into the Underworld and travel through various caves and that kind of thing," he said "Dark, gloo, and trouble if you’re skittish about havingdown on you"
"There’s nothing underneath the surface except lava and dirt," I said, ignoring the thought of being buried alive
"Every eight-year-old knows that"
"We’re gods We’re excellent at covering our tracks," said Jarin, and this time, when he offered me his hand, I took it and stepped back into the circle